Chapter 5 Science Teaching and assessing Students’ Scientific literacy
tHE tEACHING OF SCIENCE: 21 st-CENTURY PERSPECTIVES 111
Table 5.8
Students’ Responsibility for Sustainable Development
Statements Describing Possible Policies on Student Questionnaire
A. Industries should be required to prove that they safely dispose of dangerous waste
material.
B. I am in favor of having laws that protect the habitats of endangered species.
C. It is important to carry out regular checks on the emissions from cars as a
condition of their use.
D. To reduce waste, the use of plastic packaging should be kept to a minimum.
E. Electricity should be produced from renewable resources as much as possible,
even if this increases the cost.
F. It disturbs me when energy is wasted through the unnecessary use of electrical
appliances.
G. I am in favor of having laws that regulate factory emissions even if this would
increase the price of products.
Abbreviated Policy
Statements Indicating
Students’ ResponsibilityPercentage of OECD
Students Who Strongly Agree
With the StatementPercentage of U.S.
Students Who Strongly
Agree With the Statement
A
(Require safe disposal of
waste)
B
(Laws to protect habitats of
endangered species)
C
(Regular checks on car
emissions)
D
Minimize use of plastic
packaging)
E
(Produce electricity from
renewable resources)
F
(Wasted energy through
unnecessary use of
appliances)
G
(Laws to regulate factory
emissions)92
92
91
82
79
69
69
88
90
89
77
75
63
56
In somewhat of a contrast with students’ awareness, level of concern does
not have a strong association with students’ performance in science. Further-
more, students’ levels of concern are not strongly associated with socioeconomic
background. That is, students from less advantaged backgrounds are equally
if not more concerned about environmental issues. That said, it also is the case
they are less able to explain the issues. Finally, there is a significant gender differ-
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